The Atlantic eyes online pay models

1/3/13 2:00 PM EST

The Atlantic will likely experiment with online pay models this year, according to a report.

The Atlantic’s president Scott Havens told Forbes that paid content is going to be a key area for the company in 2013. The Atlantic will focus on renovating its tablet products and experimenting with a metered paywall, he said.

“It’s not definitely happening, but it’s definitely part of the mix,” Havens said in reference to an online pay model, according to Forbes. “We’re watching what’s going on out there, and I think the conditions are right for experimentation.”

The Atlantic became a free site in 2008, but Havens noted that “the conditions on the ground have changed” since then.

“We’re shooting ourselves in the foot a little by having the paid app in the iTunes store while offering ourselves for free in Safari,” he told Forbes.

And the magazine announced Thursday it had another year of annual growth, Capital New York reported. Of note: For the first time, more than half — 59 percent — of The Atlantic’s overall advertising revenue came from digital.

“The Atlantic closed out 2012 by significantly increasing its overall revenue and audience reach, exceeding 2011's then-record performance in these key metrics,” the company stated. “After posting its first profit in recent memory in 2010, the 155-year-old magazine brand was profitable for the third straight year as well.”